Ill-fortune can bring us down in ways we never expected, but there are plenty of synonyms to describe this unfortunate phenomenon. Some excellent alternatives include misfortune, bad luck, adversity, hardship, distress, tragedy, calamity, disaster, and setback. Each of these words describes the notion of something going wrong, either unexpectedly or through no fault of our own. They can refer to anything from a minor annoyance to a life-altering event that leaves us struggling to pick up the pieces. Understanding these synonyms can help us better express our emotions when life doesn't go quite to plan.